Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegrarolav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Kuegrarolav’, characterized by its relatively compact and mounding plant habit; short production time; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers with darker red purple-colored splotches on the upper petals; no cooling treatment required for flower initiation and development; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KUEGRAROLAV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kuegrarolav’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Pelargonium plants with uniform growth habit and unique flower colors.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany in 2008 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum, not patented. The new Pelargonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in December, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since the spring of 2009, has shown that the unique features of this new Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kuegrarolav’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kuegrarolav’ as a new and distinct Pelargonium plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Short production time.     -   3. Freely branching habit; pinching is not required.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers with darker red purple-colored         splotches on the upper petals.     -   6. No cooling treatment required for flower initiation and         development.     -   7. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium have stronger roots than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium have thicker stems, larger         leaves and larger flowers than plants of the female parent         selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium and the female parent selection         differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium have a shorter production time         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium have thinner stems, smaller         leaves and smaller flowers than plants of the male parent         selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium do not require a cooling period         for flowering whereas plants of the male parent selection         require a cooling period for flowering.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Cambi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,426. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Cambi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more compact than plants         of ‘Cambi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had a shorter production time         than plants of ‘Cambi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium had slightly smaller flowers         than plants of ‘Cambi’.     -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Cambi’ differed in flower         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kuegrarolav’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Pelargonium production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum     ‘Kuegrarolav’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×domesticum×Pelargonium crispum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 26 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact and mounded plant             habit; inverted triangle; bushy dense appearance; moderately             vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit with             about six to eight lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Deltoid.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137B; venation, close to 137B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             rounded umbels arising from apical leaf axils; umbels             displayed above the foliar plane on moderately strong             peduncles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, aromatic.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about six to             eight flowers per umbel and about 17 umbels per plant.         -   Flowering season.—In Germany, plants begin flowering in the             spring and flowering is continuous throughout the summer and             into the autumn; plants do not require a cooling treatment             for flower initiation and development; early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about 58 days after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 8 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm by 4.3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly ovoid. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl; two larger upper petals and three smaller lower             petals. Length: Upper petals: About 2.7 cm. Lower petals:             About 2.5 cm. Width: Upper petals: About 2.5 cm. Lower             petals: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper petals: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74C;             central splotch, close to 72A; venation, close to N74C;             color does not fade with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 75A; central splotch, close             to N74A; venation, close to 75A and N74A. Color, lower             petals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N74C; venation, close to N74C; color does not fade with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 75A; venation, close to 75A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Mostly erect.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.3 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:             Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About six to nine. Filament length: About 1.2 cm. Filament             color: Close to N66D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther             shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 10B. Pollen amount:             Moderate to scarce. Pollen color: Close to 25B. Gynoecium:             Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to             70A. Style length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 70B.             Ovary color: Close to 138D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Pelargonium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been     observed to be resistant to Puccinia pelargonii-zonalis and     Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii. Plants of the new Pelargonium     have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Pelargoniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegrarolav’ as illustrated and described. 